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Top Celebrity executives told cruise writers touring the soon-to-launch Celebrity Equinox in Germany this weekend the line will roll out the option across the fleet in September.
Word of what the line is calling Celebrity Select Dining first leaked out last month, but Celebrity hadn't said when it planned to roll out the concept. The offering will be in addition to -- not a replacement for -- traditional assigned early and late seating on the line's vessels. Passengers will be able to choose which type of seating they want -- open or traditional -- at the time they book their cruise.
RELATED ITEM: Engine room fire on ship forces Princess to cancel two cruises
ALSO ONLINE: A sneak peek at the new Celebrity Equinox
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Celebrity is one of the last major lines to add an open seating option in its main dining rooms, and the line is doing it a bit differently than its competitors. Specifically, Celebrity is in the process of setting up a reservation system that will allow passengers on the open-seating plan to book tables for different times each night ahead of time.
The system would allow passengers to make a reservation for each night of their voyage either before they board the ship or after they get onboard.
"The dining experience is paramount to the Celebrity experience, (and) we felt a large percentage of our guests would say (they) would like open seating, but (they) would like to choose (their) time," Lutoff-Perlo explained during a press conference on the new Equinox.
Lutoff-Perlo says the reservation system would solve one of the biggest problems with open seating encountered by other lines: The tendency for passengers on open seating to arrive in unmanageable clumps -- forcing some to wait for a table. Lutoff-Perlo says the line wants to avoid situations where passengers "have to wait for a half hour for a table because (they) came when everyone else did."
The reservation system, she says, allows passengers on the open-seating plan to vary the time they eat dinner from night to night but still know they have a table waiting for them when they head to dinner.
Lutoff-Perlo says surveys of Celebrity passengers fleetwide showed that about 50% wanted the open-seating option. Notably, though, the percentage was lower among passengers sailing on the line's newest ship, the seven-month-old Solstice. Lutoff-Perlo says that's likely because the 2,850-passenger Solstice already has a lot of dining flexibilty thanks to its many alternative restaurants.
One potential downside to the open seating plan: The line says it can't guarantee that passengers on the plan who make reservations for specific times in the dining room will eat alone. Two sets of couples with the same reservation time, for instance, could be paired together at a table for four if all the tables for two already are taken.
"There are limited tables for two, so (guaranteed tables for two on open seating) is not something that were going to be able to accommodate," Celebrity CEO Dan Hanrahan noted.
That said, Hanrahan and Lutoff-Perlo say they've studied the idea of open seating for a long time and think they have a formula that works out a lot of the kinks found with open seating on other lines.
"We've watched eveybody go before us, including our sister brands," notes Lutoff-Perlo. "We've done a lot of research."
Cruise Loggers, are you in favor of Celebrity adding an open seating option in the main dining rooms of its ships? Share your thoughts in the comment area below.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
DID YOU KNOW? USA TODAY's Gene Sloan is now on Twitter. Follow him at twitter.com/CruiseLog.
Photo of Celebrity Equinox by Simon Brooke-Webb/sbw-photo


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The rise of organic food in the U.S. is a reflection of changing consumer attitudes toward health, sustainability, and transparency in the food system. Organic food sales have been steadily increasing, with projections for continued growth in the coming years. While there are challenges to the growth of the organic food industry, such as supply chain issues, pricing disparities, and consumer perceptions, there are also opportunities for innovation and expansion in areas such as technology, farming practices, and marketing strategies. As the organic food industry continues to evolve, it will be important for producers and retailers to remain focused on sustainability, transparency, and affordability, in order to meet the needs and expectations of consumers and promote a more sustainable and equitable food system.
Organic food has become increasingly popular in the United States in recent years, as consumers become more aware of the potential health benefits and environmental impact of their food choices. According to a report by the Organic Trade Association, organic food sales in the US reached a record $56.4 billion in 2020, up 12.4% from the previous year.
One of the key drivers of the growing popularity of organic food is increasing consumer concern about the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, and other chemicals in conventional agriculture. Organic farming practices prohibit the use of these chemicals and instead rely on natural methods such as crop rotation, composting, and the use of natural predators to control pests. This approach is seen as healthier for both consumers and the environment, and many people are willing to pay a premium for organic products as a result.
In addition to the health benefits, many consumers are also drawn to organic food because of its perceived superior taste and quality. Organic produce is often fresher and more flavorful than conventionally grown produce, due to the use of natural soil enrichment techniques and other sustainable farming practices.
Another factor driving the popularity of organic food is the increasing availability of these products in mainstream grocery stores and restaurants. In the past, organic food was mainly sold in specialty stores or at farmers’ markets, but today it can be found in most grocery stores and even fast-food chains. This wider availability has made organic food more accessible to consumers and helped to normalize it as a mainstream food choice.
Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has also played a role in the growing popularity of organic food, as many consumers have become more interested in healthy eating and boosting their immune systems. This has led to increased demand for organic produce and other healthful food options.
In conclusion, a variety of factors drive the popularity of organic food in the US, such as health concerns, taste and quality, wider availability, and changing consumer preferences resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. As these trends continue, it is likely that organic food will continue to grow in popularity and become an increasingly important part of the American food landscape.
Organic food consumption has been steadily increasing over the past few years, driven by a growing awareness of health, environmental, and ethical issues associated with conventional agriculture. According to a recent report by the Organic Trade Association, organic food sales in the US reached a record high of $56.4 billion in 2020, up 12.4% from the previous year. Understanding the trends in organic food consumption can help us better understand the factors driving this growth.
One of the key trends in organic food consumption is the increasing popularity of organic produce. Fresh fruits and vegetables account for the largest share of organic food sales, with organic fruits and vegetables making up 12.1% of all produce sold in the US in 2020. This trend is driven by consumer concerns about the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers in conventional agriculture, as well as a growing interest in health and wellness.
Another trend in organic food consumption is the growing demand for organic meat and dairy products. Organic meat and dairy sales increased by 8% and 10.1%, respectively, in 2020. This trend is driven by consumer concerns about the use of antibiotics and growth hormones in conventional animal agriculture, as well as a growing interest in animal welfare.
A third trend in organic food consumption is the increasing availability of organic products in mainstream grocery stores and restaurants. This has helped to make organic food more accessible to consumers and has normalized it as a mainstream food choice. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the trend toward online grocery shopping, with many consumers turning to online retailers to purchase organic food products.
Finally, there is a growing trend towards locally sourced and small-scale organic farming. This trend is driven by consumer concerns about the environmental impact of large-scale agriculture, as well as a desire to support local farmers and communities. Locally sourced organic products are also seen as fresher and more sustainable than those that have been shipped long distances.
In conclusion, the trends in organic food consumption reflect a growing awareness of health, environmental, and ethical issues associated with conventional agriculture. These trends are likely to continue as consumers become more informed about the benefits of organic food and demand for sustainable, healthful food options grows.
Several factors drive the rise of organic food, including concerns about health, environmental sustainability, and ethical considerations. Organic food is grown and produced without synthetic pesticides, fertilizers, antibiotics, and hormones, and consumers generally perceive it as healthier and more environmentally sustainable than conventional food.
Concern about the potential health risks linked to conventional agriculture is one of the main drivers of the rise of organic food. Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers used in conventional agriculture have been associated with a variety of health problems, such as cancer, neurological disorders, and developmental issues in children. Many consumers are turning to organic food as a way to reduce their exposure to these potentially harmful chemicals.
Besides health concerns, environmental sustainability considerations also drive the rise of organic food. Organic farming practices foster soil health, biodiversity, and water conservation, and consumers often regard them as a more sustainable substitute for conventional agriculture. Organic farmers also often use renewable energy sources and practice crop rotation, which helps to reduce soil erosion and build soil fertility.
Ethical considerations also play a role in driving the rise of organic food. Many consumers are concerned about animal welfare and the use of antibiotics and hormones in conventional animal agriculture. Organic meat and dairy products are produced without these additives and are often seen as a more humane and ethical alternative.
Lastly, changing consumer preferences and values drive the rise of organic food. Consumers show growing interest in the quality and sourcing of their food and are more willing to pay a premium for products produced in a sustainable and ethical manner. The COVID-19 pandemic has also accelerated this trend, with many consumers turning to organic and locally sourced food as a way to support small-scale farmers and reduce their reliance on industrial agriculture.
In conclusion, a variety of factors drive the rise of organic food, including concerns about health, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, and changing consumer preferences. As these trends continue, it is likely that organic food will continue to grow in popularity and become an increasingly important part of the food system.
While the organic food industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, it also faces a number of challenges that threaten its continued success. These challenges include supply chain issues, pricing pressures, and consumer perceptions.
One of the biggest challenges facing the organic food industry is the complexity of its supply chain. A network of small-scale farmers and suppliers produces organic food, and it can be challenging to ensure that all products meet the same standards of quality and sustainability. Furthermore, the supply chain suffers from a lack of transparency, making it hard for consumers to determine the origin and production methods of their food.
Another challenge facing the organic food industry is pricing pressure. Organic food is often more expensive than conventional food, and this can be a barrier to entry for many consumers. While some consumers are willing to pay a premium for organic products, others may not have the financial resources to do so. In addition, some consumers may view organic food as a luxury item, rather than a necessary part of a healthy diet.
Consumer perceptions also present a challenge for the organic food industry. While many consumers are interested in organic food and see it as a healthier and more sustainable option, others are skeptical of its benefits. Some consumers may not trust the organic label, or may not understand the difference between organic and conventional food. This can make it difficult for the industry to effectively market its products and communicate their value to consumers.
Finally, the organic food industry also faces competition from conventional agriculture and the industrial food system. Large-scale industrial agriculture is often able to produce food more efficiently and at a lower cost than small-scale organic farmers, which can make it difficult for the organic industry to compete. In addition, the industrial food system has a strong marketing presence and is able to shape consumer perceptions in ways that may not be favorable to organic food.
In conclusion, the organic food industry faces a number of challenges, including supply chain issues, pricing pressures, and consumer perceptions. Addressing these challenges will be critical to the industry’s continued growth and success. This will require collaboration between farmers, suppliers, and retailers, as well as a commitment to transparency, sustainability, and education for consumers.
While the organic food industry faces several challenges, there are also many opportunities for growth and innovation. These opportunities include advances in technology, new marketing strategies, and innovations in organic farming practices.
One area of opportunity for the organic food industry is the development of new technologies that can improve the efficiency and sustainability of organic farming. For example, precision farming techniques, such as the use of drones and sensors, can help farmers to better monitor their crops and soil health, reducing waste and improving yields. In addition, advancements in biotechnology, such as gene editing and microbial inoculants, could help to create crops that are better adapted to organic farming practices.
Another area of opportunity for the organic food industry is the development of new marketing strategies that can better connect with consumers. This could include the use of social media, influencer marketing, and targeted advertising campaigns that focus on the health and environmental benefits of organic food. Additionally, more transparent and traceable supply chains could help to build consumer trust and promote the value of organic products.
Innovation in organic farming practices also presents an opportunity for growth in the organic food industry. This could include the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, which promote soil health, biodiversity, and carbon sequestration. Other innovations in organic farming could include the use of cover crops, crop rotation, and natural pest management techniques, which could reduce the need for synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
Finally, there is also an opportunity for growth in the organic food industry through collaboration and partnerships. This could involve collaboration between farmers, suppliers, and retailers to develop more efficient and sustainable supply chains. It could also involve partnerships between the organic food industry and other sectors, such as healthcare or education, to promote the health and environmental benefits of organic food.
In conclusion, while the organic food industry faces several challenges, there are also many opportunities for growth and innovation. Through the development of new technologies, marketing strategies, and farming practices, the industry can continue to expand and meet the growing demand for healthy, sustainable food.
Government policies and support for organic food can play a critical role in promoting the growth and success of the industry. However, there are both prospects and limitations to government involvement in the organic food sector.
One of the main prospects of government policies and support for organic food is the potential to increase consumer demand for organic products. For example, government programs that promote the health and environmental benefits of organic food can help to raise public awareness and educate consumers about the importance of choosing organic products. Additionally, government incentives, such as tax breaks or subsidies, can help to make organic food more affordable and accessible to a wider range of consumers.
Government support can also help to improve the sustainability of organic farming practices. This could include funding for research and development of new organic farming techniques, as well as investments in infrastructure, such as irrigation systems and processing facilities. Furthermore, government regulation and certification programs can help to ensure that organic products meet high standards of quality and sustainability.
However, there are also limitations to government involvement in the organic food sector. One limitation is the potential for government policies to favor large-scale industrial agriculture over small-scale organic farming. For example, some government subsidies may be more accessible to conventional farmers than organic farmers, which could create an uneven playing field. Additionally, government regulations can sometimes be overly burdensome for small-scale organic farmers, who may not have the resources to comply with complex requirements.
Another limitation is the potential for government policies to be influenced by political interests or lobbying efforts. This could result in policies that are not necessarily in the best interests of consumers or the environment. Additionally, government support for organic food could be subject to budgetary constraints, which could limit the amount of funding available for research, education, and infrastructure development.
In conclusion, while government policies and support for organic food can have many benefits, there are also limitations to government involvement in the industry. It will be important for policymakers to strike a balance between promoting the growth and sustainability of the organic food industry, while also ensuring fairness and transparency in government support.
The future of organic food in the U.S. looks promising, with growing consumer demand, increasing availability of organic products, and advances in technology and farming practices. Here are some predictions and implications for the food industry and consumers:
Increased market share: According to a report by the Organic Trade Association, organic food sales in the U.S. reached a record $56.4 billion in 2020, up 12.4% from the previous year. This trend is expected to continue, with organic food projected to reach a market share of 10% by 2025. This growth in market share will likely lead to increased competition among organic food producers and retailers, as well as more mainstream acceptance of organic products.
Expansion beyond traditional categories: Organic food is no longer limited to produce and dairy products. Consumers are increasingly seeking out organic options in categories such as meat, poultry, and packaged goods. This expansion into new categories presents an opportunity for organic food producers to diversify their offerings and capture new market share.
Innovation in farming practices: Organic farmers are constantly developing new techniques to improve yields, reduce waste, and enhance soil health. This innovation will likely lead to more efficient and sustainable farming practices, which could reduce costs and improve the availability of organic products.
As consumers show increasing interest in the origin and production methods of their food, the organic food supply chain is likely to experience increased demand for transparency. This could lead to greater adoption of technologies such as blockchain and RFID, which can track products from farm to table and provide consumers with more information about the food they are eating.
Challenges to affordability: While demand for organic food is growing, affordability remains a challenge for many consumers. Organic food typically comes with a higher price tag than conventionally grown products, which could limit access for some consumers. However, advances in technology and farming practices could eventually lead to lower production costs and greater affordability.
Overall, the future of organic food in the U.S. looks bright, with continued growth in consumer demand, increased availability of products, and ongoing innovation in farming practices. As the organic food industry continues to expand, it will be important for producers and retailers to remain focused on sustainability, transparency, and affordability, in order to continue meeting the needs and expectations of consumers.
The rise of organic food has significant implications for both individuals and the world as a whole. Here are some key takeaways from the growth of organic food:
In conclusion, the rise of organic food reflects a growing interest among consumers in health, sustainability, and transparency in the food system. By choosing organic products, individuals can support more sustainable agriculture and potentially improve their own health. However, there are also challenges and limitations to the growth of the organic food industry, which will require ongoing attention and innovation to address.
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28 May Consumers Are Ready For Energy Efficient Homes
It is no doubt that consumer interest in green building is reshaping the housing market. This interest is so strong that certain markets during the housing market crash prospered due in large to the consumer demand for certified homes including Energy Star homes.
A poll conducted towards the end of last year reveals that homeowners are focusing specifically on improving their home’s value with energy-efficient upgrades. According to the USA TODAY poll, 68% of people surveyed claim they made these upgrades to their homes. 71% of those who made the upgrades did so to add value and save money. Only 26% said they did so to save the environment. I think this goes back to why sustainable and green building practices are really catching on. Consumers care more about the dollar signs then they do the environment. I am not saying this is true for everyone, but as a marketer I would design my message with this in mind.
Experts expect rising energy costs to continue to fuel the demand for energy-efficient homes in the future. I think consumers are becoming more and more educated on green building practices and what it means for them has homeowners. They are starting to understand that paying a little more for a certified home now will help them save money in the long run. This is great but agents and home sellers need to understand how to handle these selling situations. I don’t think it’s enough to slap a certification seal on your product and expect it to market itself. We need to understand how consumers will save money and be able to confidently explain that. Consumers will be asking all kinds of questions in regards to energy savings and we need to have the answers.


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In this week’s Field Report, shining a light on India’s exploited shrimp workers, the spread of avian flu, and the big banks undermining climate goals.
November 7, 2013
With the disappointing results now in from I-522, the initiative in Washington State that would have required labeling of genetically-engineered food (aka GMOs), the looming question is, what’s next? At least for the junk food lobby, that answer in painfully clear: stop this state-level movement at any cost. In today’s New York Times, Stephanie Strom reports on the dirty details contained in industry documents that I obtained from the Washington State attorney general’s office in the wake of a lawsuit brought against the Grocery Manufacturers Association for illegally concealing donors to the No on 522 campaign.
As I explained back in February, the food industry’s ultimate game plan to stop the bleeding in the state-by-state onslaught of GMO labeling efforts is to lobby for a weak federal law that simultaneously preempts or trumps any state-level policy. While we have known that industry would want to put an end to the public relations nightmare happening state by state, this document for the first time reveals the lobbyists’ specific strategy.
The details are even worse than I thought and give new meaning to the word chutzpah. I had predicted a federal compromise, where industry would agree to a weak form of labeling in exchange for stripping state authority. But what industry wants instead is to stop state laws to require labeling, while not giving up anything in return. In their own words, the game plan is to “pursue statutory federal preemption which does not include a labeling requirement.”
Let me repeat that: The junk food lobby’s “federal solution” is to make it illegal for states to pass laws requiring GMO labeling. Period. End of story.
This is not the way preemption is supposed to work. A quick primer. Preemption simply means that a higher law trumps a lower law: so federal trumps state, and state trumps local. This is often the most economically feasible policy approach for business. But it’s also industry’s way of ensuring uniformity and stopping a movement in its tracks. Here is the pattern: a grassroots movement builds over time to enact local or state laws to protect public health or increase the minimum wage, or some other social goal, and industry fights these efforts for years, until they can no longer win. At that point, corporate lobbyists either get their own weak bill passed, or work with advocates to pass a compromise version. In exchange, this new law will preempt or prevent any state or city from passing a different or stronger law. It will also negate any law already passed. Forever.
But usually, there is some underlying legal requirement that industry must follow for the concept of preemption to even make sense. The idea is to require some action by industry, with the trade-off for companies to follow one standard instead of 50. Take menu labeling in chain restaurants as a good example. For that issue, there was also a grassroots movement in both states and cities around the nation. So when the National Restaurant Association had enough of fighting those bills, the lobbying group agreed to a federal compromise to require only calorie counts (a weak standard) in exchange for preemption, that is, not allowing any state or local laws to go further. In fact, the Grocery Manufacturers Association itself endorsed this plan.
But in the current GMA chutzpah scenario, the federal government would outlaw states from enacting GMO labeling, while food makers would not have to label their products. In other words, industry would stop the grassroots movement and not have to pay any price.
Now that the junk food lobby’s true agenda has been revealed, our federal representatives and officials are on notice: The food movement will be holding you accountable to ensure that this democracy-killing power grab does not come to fruition.
You can read the entire set of documents from GMA here. Much of the text is redacted, a sign that industry has a lot more to hide.
Originally published on Eat, Drink, Politics.
April 17, 2024
April 16, 2024
April 10, 2024


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When you put on your favourite fleece jacket, you probably never think about how it could be contributing to marine pollution.
Every time the garment is washed, about 2,000 fibres end up in the wastewater that’s produced. And because many sewage plants cannot filter these fibres, they become part of an increasingly serious microplastic pollution problem that’s affecting marine wildlife around the globe.
In Norway, for instance, it was recently reported that scientists from the Norwegian Institute for Air Research and the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research had determined that outdoor clothing such as fleece jackets and Gore-Tex clothing was the biggest source of the more than 100 million particles of microplastic being deposited via wastewater into the fiord at Longyearbyen, a community of 2,000 on the island of Svalbard. (…) (canadiangeographic.ca, 29/03/16)


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BRISTOL, Tenn. — Grab your wallet and your shopping shoes.
Bristol’s annual Country Christmas Craft Show is coming back to Viking Hall Civic Center this weekend, running Friday to Sunday.
The show features nearly 100 vendors, said organizer Daisy Carroll.
One is Georgia’s Sleepy Hollow Herb Farm, offering “extracts and products made from their herbs,” Carroll said.
“Pat and Ronnie Rader are back with their log reindeer and wooden snowmen,” Carroll said. “Barb Morelock from Kingsport has hand-pieced quilts.”
You can also look for “lots of specialty ornaments, tobacco stick trees and stars” plus “stained glass, pottery, wreaths and primitive decor,” Carroll said.
Several authors are also coming to the event, including “Little Jacky Bear” children’s author Carol Jackson of Piney Flats, Tennessee, and historian Tom Perry of Ararat, Virginia.
This show began in the 1980s and is now considered a Bristol tradition.
The colorful show features booths of handmade holiday decorations and items perfect for gift giving, according to Carroll.
Besides Georgia, other vendors are coming from as far as Minnesota, bringing a wide array of crocheted items plus bow tree toppers.
“And if you need a new wreath for your door, we’ve got that, too,” Carroll said. “Of course, we always have a children’s craft table where the kids can make an ornament for free. That’s a really popular item and something everyone looks forward to.”
The event is sponsored by the city of Bristol, Tennessee’s Department of Parks and Recreation and will be held Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
Admission is $5. Children 12 and younger are admitted free.
Those attending are invited to bring nonperishable food items for donation to Second Harvest Food Bank.


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#iPhone7 #iOS10 – Apple iPhone 7 Rumors: Clickable Capacitive Button To Make A Comeback Replacing Home Button? : “Another day, another rumor” – is what comes to our minds when we hear interesting-but-wild rumors. It’s a known fact that the upcoming Apple iPhone 7 will not come with any radical design change.
Except for the internal configurations upgradation and a relatively slimmer profile. But now, a new report from Japan says the iPhone 6s successor’s home button will go through a dramatic makeover.
Apple is rumored to be replacing the “physical home button” (where the embedded Touch ID/fingerprint scanner exists) with a “capacitive button” in the iPhone 7. This capacitive button will reportedly give the device users the feel of clicking an actual button, much like the trackpad usage seen in the recent MacBook variants.
To achieve this, Apple has reportedly made use of a “set of electromagnets.” The vibration apparently creates the clicking sensation. This news comes from Japan’s notable tech portal and tipster website Macotakara, which has a pretty good record of predicting Apple-related news in the past.
In case this report comes true, where will the Touch ID go? Is Apple getting rid of the Touch ID/Fingerprint scanner and opt for the rumored Iris scanner? Or, will it move the Touch ID to a different location? We do not have any official confirmation but the expectation is that Apple might move the scanner from the home button to the screen instead.


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Netflix raises its prices in the U.S., as the cost of content rises
The cost for consumers to stream Netflix popular series “Squid Game” just got more expensive in U.S.
The Los Gatos-based company on Friday raised U.S. subscription prices by as much as $2, depending on the plan.
The price increase comes as the streamer’s subscriber growth in the U.S. has slowed down as it faces more competition from rivals such as HBO Max and Disney+.
“If Netflix can’t raise revenues and continue to raise revenues by adding subscribers, then they have to do it by by raising prices,” said Brett Sappington, vice president of Culver City-based consumer insights firm Interpret. “This price increase is just part of their need to continue to raise revenues, to be able to compete effectively, to be able to create interesting content and then to be able to market effectively as competition’s heightened.”
Before the pandemic, Netflix had faced questions about weaker U.S. subscriber growth and whether it could maintain its momentum. But that changed as COVID-19 swept the globe and people joined Netflix in droves as they looked for ways to entertain themselves at home.
The company that defined the concept of binge watching has continued to reinvent itself. But as Disney, Apple and others enter the streaming business, Netflix faces the biggest challenge in its history.
That momentum has continued thanks to hit shows like “Squid Game,” the acclaimed South Korean survival drama. In the third quarter, there were 213.56 million global subscribers to the streaming service, up 9% compared with a year ago.
Still, some analysts are anticipating Netflix that will miss its internal subscriber projections for the fourth quarter. An average of analyst estimates compiled by FactSet predicts the streamer will add 8.4 million new global subscribers in the fourth quarter compared with Netflix’s forecast of 8.5 million. Netflix will release its earnings results Jan. 20.
Netflix’s large library of TV shows like fantasy series “The Witcher” and movies such as “Red Notice” has helped attract more consumers to its platform.
The streamer spent $17 billion on content last year and could spend up to $22 billion in 2022, said Ray Wang, principal analyst of Palo Alto-based Constellation Research. Netflix also is expanding its programs in local languages, helping attract viewers internationally.
Wang says he believes customers will shrug off the price increase, adding many customers see Netflix as a “core” streaming service.
“Right now, Netflix delivers enough value to justify the spend,” Wang said.
Netflix’s Global Head of TV, Bela Bajaria, discusses the company’s programming strategy and why foreign-language shows are taking off on the platform.
Netflix said the cost of a basic plan would increase $1 to $9.99 a month, while a standard plan that allows for streaming two screens at the same time would increase $1.50 to $15.49 a month. A Netflix premium plan that allows for streaming on four screens at one time and Ultra HD, would rise $2 to $19.99 a month. Netflix also raised the price for standard and premium subscription plans in Canada.
The last time Netflix raised prices in the U.S. was in October 2020.
“We understand people have more entertainment choices than ever and we’re committed to delivering an even better experience for our members,” Netflix said in a statement. “We’re updating our prices so that we can continue to offer a wide variety of quality entertainment options.”
Plus: The latest $1-billion deal, and the anime streaming wars.
The price increase puts Netflix’s standard plan at close to the $14.99 monthly cost of rival HBO Max’s ad-free subscription plan. HBO and HBO Max said it had 73.8 million subscribers by the end of last year, higher than what it previously had forecasted.
“I do believe that had to be in their mind that they believed that consumers would see them as either a comparable or even a higher value than HBO Max as they made that decision,” Sappington said. “I do think that they like the idea of having a premium position in the market.”
Netflix stock closed at $525.69 a share on Friday, up about 1%.
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At one end of the smartphone operating system segment sits Android, by far the most popular mobile OS in the world with over 80% market share. At the other sits the once-failed Microsoft Windows Phone in its new avatar – Windows 10 Mobile.
Their market shares are so far apart you can drive a big rig truck through it. But Microsoft isn’t giving up their dream of a Windows smartphone, and the Alcatel IDOL 4S could be their secret plan to get Windows on more mobile phones in the coming months.
Also Read: T-Mobile Leaks Windows 10 Phone with VR Headset Included, Alcatel Idol 4S
What’s special about the IDOL 4S? Nothing, other than the fact that it comes with a VR headset and generic Android hardware. It’s the second part that’s the real secret. By using hardware that already supports the Android OS, Microsoft may have found a backdoor entry back into the smartphone segment with Windows 10.
Think about it – 4GB RAM, 64 GB on-board memory, SnapDragon 820 processor, 5.5-inch QHD 2K AMOLED display, JBL-certified speakers, 360-degree image capture on the 21 MP rear camera…
Sounds just like the specs on a high-end Android phone, doesn’t it? And one of the reasons Alcatel was able to put together a Windows 10 smartphone so quickly is that it required very little modification from the Android version of the phone.
Will the New Windows 10 Mobile Strategy Work?
And that’s Microsoft’s new secret. By allowing OEMs to use their existing manufacturing capabilities and hardware partnerships, they’re making it easy for them to offer a Windows 10 option in addition to an Android version.
And the VR capability is merely the icing on the cake. By throwing in that nice little add-on, Microsoft is hoping that consumers will jump on the Windows 10 Mobile bandwagon and start using VR apps and watching VR video content.
Can this new strategy help Windows 10 smartphones come to life? Only time will tell, but we find it to be a solid strategy on which Microsoft can build out its smartphone product portfolio by partnering with OEMs the way Android currently does. With the older Windows Phone, that door was closed, but Windows 10 Mobile is a different ball game.
If they can generate more UWP apps (Universal Windows Platform) that will work on Android, iOS and Windows 10 Mobile and get consumers hooked on them, there’s a possibility that we could see Microsoft’s mobile OS market share rising over the next few years. They may never reach the level Android has, but at least there will be a third strong player in the segment, which is the best thing that could happen to the average consumer. More competition equals better products, pricing control and overall a better consumer experience.
This is a do or die attempt by Microsoft to get back into the smartphone race, and if it works it will take them one step further in achieving the goal of Windows 10 being a true cross-device operating system that straddles everything from smartphones to desktop PCs and everything in between.
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Commenting on the latest trends in food packaging and processing, Tom Vierhile, director of Productscan Online/Product Launch Analytics said:
“We have noticed some recent examples of products utilizing steam preparation; including many from larger companies in the USA and Australia, all based on the development of the ventable plastic bags.
“We’re also starting to see more of these products pop up in private-labels, so it is something that is gaining momentum.”
Illustrating this trend is the new 12oz (340g) stand up plastic bag from General Mills used in its Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers line for frozen vegetables.
The trend towards increasing concentration of cleaning fluids, arising from the need to trim transportation costs, also emerges from the latest Datamonitor report.
According to its authors: “Stratospheric oil prices during 2008 caused companies to re-examine how they do business. One realization firms made is that transporting water is expensive and it is cheaper to have consumers add their own water when possible.”
Examples of recent launches include Arm & Hammer Essentials’ line of cleaning products including Glass Cleaner and Multi-Surface Cleaner. These include empty 32 fl. oz. trigger sprayer bottles sold with attached 1.2 oz. (35ml) bottles of liquid concentrate to be mixed with water.
Kilrock Aquo Refillable Trigger Cleaning Spray is a UK product that follows the same principle. “Look for this trend to really blossom in 2009 as the cost-cutting intensifies,” says the report.
Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics reports launches from around the globe and traces trends arising from them. “In some cases the numbers are not huge or impressive, but these are our bets on where the activity is going to be in 2009,” said Vierhile.


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Man files lawsuit against Rad Power Bikes over front wheel disengaging
September 18, 2023
A Maryland man filed a class-action lawsuit against Rad Power Bikes on behalf of himself and other consumers for manufacturing a faulty fork and quick-release skewer design that combined with the weight of the bike can allow the wheel to disengage.
According to the suit, Gary E. Mason, a resident of Bethesda, purchased a RadRunner e-bike in March 2021 from the brand’s website. Bicycle Retailer


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BUSINESS PEOPLE; ALZA FOUNDER QUITS CHIEF EXECUTIVE JOB
By DANIEL CUFF
Published: June 23, 1987
The Alza Corporation, which makes delivery systems for the timed release of medication, said yesterday that its founder, Alejandro Zaffaroni, would step down as chief executive.
Dr. Zaffaroni, 64 years old, a biochemist who started the company with his own funds in 1968, will remain as co-chairman. Martin S. Gerstel, 45, who has been president and chief operating officer, will be co-chairman and chief executive, and Jane E. Shaw, 48, will move up to take Mr. Gerstel's posts.
The company, based in Palo Alto, Calif., developed technology for the timed release of drugs and has made agreements with pharmaceutical companies to sell their drugs in Alza formulations. The company has some 40 delivery systems matched with drugs. Some, applied with an adhesive bandage, go through the skin to deliver medicine for motion sickness, angina and hypertension.
Dr. Zaffaroni had worked at the Syntex Corporation before he started Alza. Mr. Gerstel, then an M.B.A. candidate at Stanford University, was hired to help the scientist with financial details.
Dr. Shaw joined the company as a research scientist two years after its founding. She had previously worked for the Worcester Foundation in Massachusetts and had graduated from the University of Birmingham in England.
Dr. Shaw recalled yesterday that the going was difficult in the company's early years. Dr. Zaffaroni had invested more than $1 million and the company did not turn a profit until 1983, 15 years after it was founded.
The company was listed on the Pacific Stock Exchange to raise more funds. In 1978, it became a subsidiary of Ciba-Geigy, which assumed its debts and allowed research to continue. In 1982, after a buyout, Alza became an independent company once again.
Dr. Shaw said the executive changes were made to organize the company for the growth it anticipates. The company is completing a large-scale manufacturing facility and plans to get more involved in the marketing of its products. Dr. Shaw, who has led teams that developed products, will be in charge of the day-to-day operations, freeing Mr. Gerstel for financial and other duties. Dr. Zaffaroni will concentrate on the company's long-term strategy.


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Facebook Reaches Majority of US Web Users, What About Twitter?
As Facebook continues to solidify its role as the world’s top social networking site, eMarketer estimates that more than half of internet users in the US were logging on to the site at least monthly as of the end of 2010.
This year, eMarketer forecasts, 132.5 million US web users will use the site. That increase of 13.4% in the number of users means Facebook will reach almost nine in 10 social network users and 57.1% of internet users. By 2013, 62% of web users and almost half (47.6%) of the overall US population will be on Facebook.
Facebook’s broad reach means that its once-dramatic growth rates are over; eMarketer forecasts single-digit growth in users after this year. On Twitter, growth rates will be higher, but relatively few online Americans use the microblogging service.
By the end of 2010, 16.4 million US adults, or 9% of the adult internet population, used Twitter. Growth will surpass 26% this year as Twitter reaches 11% of internet users and 16.5% of US adult social network users. By 2013, nearly 28 million Americans will be tweeting.
The report also includes two tables:
1. US Facebook Users and Penetration, 2009-2013
2. US Adult Twitter Users and Penetration, 2009-2013
Read the Complete Article
Filed under: News, Patrons and Users
About Gary Price
Gary Price (firstname.lastname@example.org) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com. Gary is also the co-founder of infoDJ an innovation research consultancy supporting corporate product and business model teams with just-in-time fact and insight finding.


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Australians are being encouraged to book the perfect winter escape to the Whitsundays following the launch of a new interstate tourism campaign.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events Kate Jones said the $800,000 Every Shade of Perfect campaign would bring more visitors to the Whitsundays.
“Every Shade of Perfect captures the natural beauty of The Whitsundays, enticing travellers to experience one of Queensland’s most breathtaking tourist destinations,” Ms Jones.
“The campaign will feature on television in the key visitor markets of Sydney and Melbourne, online and in cinemas throughout Brisbane.
“The Palaszczuk Government recognises the importance of growing tourism in the Whitsundays because a strong tourism industry means more jobs for Queenslanders.”
Member for Mackay Julieanne Gilbert said the marketing campaign was good news for tourism in the region.
“I’m proud to be a part of government that is committed to growing tourism in the Mackay and Whitsunday region,” Mrs Gilbert said.
“Local tourism operators have been doing it tough so I welcome this campaign to attract more interstate visitors to our beautiful part of the country.”
The campaign is an initiative of Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) in partnership with Whitsundays Marketing and Development Limited (WMDL), Wotif.com and local industry.
TEQ CEO Leanne Coddington said the tourism campaign promoted the Whitsundays as one of the world’s leading tropical island and marine leisure holiday destinations.
“The Whitsundays is a tropical wonder, home to 74 islands and one of the world’s best beaches,” Ms Coddington said.
“The destination is also accessible for many Australians who can sail, explore, dive, dine, relax and enjoy the laid-back lifestyle.
“TEQ is proud to partner with Wotif.com to provide Every Shade of Perfect holiday deals for travellers to warm up in the Whitsundays this winter.”
WMDL Executive Director Jeff Aquilina said the campaign would highlight the great holidays on offer in the region during the winter.
“Whitsundays Marketing and Development is very excited to be partnering with TEQ, Wotif and our local industry operators to deliver this high-impact campaign. The campaign targets our key domestic markets of Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, and is designed to drive business to our local tourism operators during the winter months,” Mr Aquilina said.
“The strong TV and cinema components of the campaign really showcase the natural beauty of our region, and that imagery should certainly motivate Australians to consider a winter holiday in the Whitsundays.”
The Every Shade of Perfect campaign will run from 11 May – 7 June 2015. For more information visit Queensland.com/Whitsundays.


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Big spender: Rick Hendrick dishes out $700,000 for 2014 BMW
NASCAR team owner and inveterate car collector Rick Hendrick is at it again.
Thursday night at the Barrett-Jackson Collector-Car Auction in Scottsdale, Ariz., Hendrick paid $700,000 for a special 30th Jahre -- German for "year" -- Anniversary Edition 2014 BMW M5 sedan, with all proceeds going to the BMW Car Club of America Foundation, which helps train young drivers.
The car was one of just 30 imported in to the U.S. market, and one of just 300 produced worldwide. The $700,000 hammer price was the high sale of the auction so far.
And it hauls asphalt, too, thanks to a 600-horsepower engine, which propels it from zero to 60 miles per hour in just 3.9 seconds. The consignor described this car as "the last unsold example in this country" and "the most powerful production BMW ever.
Finished in Dark Frozen Silver paint, it came with black chrome exterior accents, black chrome wheels, black and grey leather interior with suede accents, "30 Jahre M5" logo designations on grille, door sills, door handles, exhaust, and seats, as well as an interior badging plaque indicating it's a special edition and one of 300 made.
Afterward, Hendrick was all smiles beside driver Jeff Gordon, who accompanied him to the auction.
Hendrick said the car will join the more than 200 cars in his Concord, N.C., museum. In fact, it will be parked next to a BMW i8 hybrid supercar in the same color.
"We were fortunate enough to get the i8 in this color," said Hendrick. "This baby's going to go right beside the i8 in the museum. The only miles it's going to get are in the truck (sending it from Arizona to North Carolina.)"
Rick Hendrick purchased this 2014 BMW M5 sedan at Barrett-Jackson.
This 2014 BMW M5 sedan is one of just 30 imported in to the U.S. market, and one of just 300 produced worldwide.
This BMW will join the more than 200 cars in Rick Hendrick's Concord, N.C., museum.


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Without a surge in subscribers at its Indian subsidiary and the weakness of the UK currency, Vodafone's Q3 results would have made for poor reading. The company coffers benefited considerably from the extra 2.1 million customers per month recruited by Vodafone India (bringing the total to just over 60m), but it was the dramatic slide in the value of the UK pound that chiefly allowed the company to report a Q3 turnover of £10.47 billion (a 14.3 per cent rise in headline revenues) for the quarter ending 31 December 2008.
Elsewhere, however, the group's established European operations, which account for 70 per cent of turnover, remained sluggish, with organic revenues easing by 1.4 per cent. Spain was particularly weak and the UK, where the company has 19.1 million customers, fell by 0.7 per cent. Turkey also suffered, with revenue tumbling 14.5 per cent in what is supposed to be a key growth country.
But, the company's African and Central European division increased revenues by nearly 7 per cent to £1.39 billion, helped by a strong performance from the South African business Vodacom. In the Asian, Pacific and Middle Easernt region revenues rose nearly 17 per cent to £1.51 billion, with 8 percentage points of the increase due to the inclusion of Vodafone's acquired business in India.
Vodafone also reported that data revenues in the UK grew by just over 30 per cent--a similar rate to the general industry rate of growth, and MVNOs and the sales of dongles were having a meaningful effect on results.
New acquisitions to be funded by disposals, says Vodafone CEO
Vodafone offers US$30m for LBS developer
Vodafone results boosted by emerging markets
Vodafone trials HSPA+, reaches 16 Mbps peak rates


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Zimbabwe Newspapers Limited (Zimpapers) has announced new cover prices for all its publications with effect from Thursday 3 October 2019. In a statement, Zimpapers said:
Zimpapers would like to advise its valued customers of new cover prices for all its publications with effect from Thursday 3 October 2019. The increases come as a mitigatory measure in the face of increasing costs of production.
The new prices which come into effect are as follows:
- Herald ZW$ 10
- Chronicle ZW$10
- Sunday Mail ZW$15
- Business Weekly ZW$15
- Sunday News ZW$10
- H-Metro ZW$5
- B-Metro ZW$5
- Kwayedza ZW$5
- UMthunywa ZW$5
- Manica Post ZW$6
Quick NetOne, Telecel, Africom, And Econet Airtime Recharge
If anything goes wrong, click here to enter your query.


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It was just over a year ago that we celebrated Apple’s re-admittance to the esteemed Four Percent Club following a two-year hiatus (Chart). We speculated that given the brief membership of past Four Percenters and the law of large numbers, Apple was doomed to fall back to Earth. Little did we know that the publication of that skeptical commentary would coincide very closely with the firm’s market value peak.
From the dizzying heights of a $775 billon valuation on February 23rd, 2015, Apple’s market cap suffered a series of slides and hiccups, and eventually breached the $500 billion mark on May 12th, 2016. So, in just over 14 months, the value of Apple declined by the equivalent of one General Electric or two IBMs. Poof, gone. Looking back at the performance history of past Four Percenters, we probably shouldn’t be surprised by Apple’s rapid descent. Also, in brief periods of February and May of this year, Alphabet (Google to me and you) passed its Silicon Valley rival in market cap and held the title of most valuable publicly traded firm.
During this very same time span, as the overall market fluctuated down and then back up to where it started, Apple’s tech titan brethren experienced phenomenal performance. The four firms of Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Facebook added a combined $487 billion to their market caps. This performance divide has created an entirely new P/E multiple landscape for these firms. Apple, with a bank-like P/E ratio, now stands out in this group as a screaming value play (Table).
Has Apple’s Four Percent membership card been permanently revoked? History, it would seem, says yes. However, it’s tough to count out a firm that’s generated $225 billion in sales and $50 billion (4.7% of the S&P 500) in net income over the past four quarters.
© 2016 The Leuthold Group www.leutholdfunds.com


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Samsung’s New Exynos 9810 SoC Likely to Power Galaxy S9, S9+
Samsung has announced the chip that will almost certainly power the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ when they launch in the coming months.
According to a new press release from the South Korean tech giant, the new chip, called the Exynos 9 Series 9810, is built on its second-generation 10nm FinFET process technology. Samsung has claimed that the Exynos 9 Series 9810 is its most innovative mobile processor yet, meant for AI applications and richer multimedia content.
The new SoC is claimed to enhance single-core performance by two-fold and multi-core performance by around 40 percent compared to its predecessor. The processor features a new eight-core CPU, four of which can reach peak speeds of 2.9GHz while the other four are optimised for efficiency.
The chip promises greater intelligence and a host of new features for devices which include it (we’re looking at you, Galaxy S9, S9+ and Note 9), with some key functionality set to challenge the iPhone X. One such feature is “a depth sensing feature to scan user’s face in 3D for face tracking filters as well as strong security when unlocking a device with one’s face.” Sound familiar?
The Exynos 9810 will also be able to bring improvements when it comes to taking photos and videos. Samsung is touting that users “will see advanced stabilization for images and video of up to UHD resolution, real-time out-of-focus photography in high resolution and brighter pictures in low light with reduced noise and motion blur”. The chipset can also support video recording and playback at 4K at 120 frames per second.
“The Exynos 9 Series 9810 is our most innovative mobile processor yet, with our third-generation custom CPU, ultra-fast gigabit LTE modem and, deep learning-enhanced image processing,” said Ben Hur, vice president of System LSI marketing at Samsung Electronics. “The Exynos 9810 will be a key catalyst for innovation in smart platforms such as smartphones, personal computing and automotive for the coming AI era.”
The Exynos 9 Series 9810 SoC is currently in mass production, and is expected to be launched with the Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9+ later this year.


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There’s a fundamental change happening right now. Corporate social responsibility is no longer in the footnotes of a company’s goals—it’s moving to the forefront. Giving back and integrating purpose into business is increasingly important to consumers, employees, and business leaders.
Technology is an inseparable part of society. While the complexity, utility, and application of technology are ever evolving, the purpose of its development and discovery remains the same—to solve real-world problems, to fulfill human needs, and present new opportunities.
The past year has been a momentous one for women. Following the global #MeToo movement, there have been many moments of progress. A record number of women won U.S. congressional seats. Ethiopia elected its first female president along with a new cabinet that is half female.
As a nation, we decided long ago that when a business opens its doors to the public, it should be open to everyone on the same terms. But shockingly, many Americans still can’t be sure they will be treated equally when they seek goods or services from businesses in their local communities.


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Image via DesignStudio, which redesigned Airbnb’s visual identity and created a new logo for the brand
The head of Airbnb’s art department discussed reactions to the company’s recent rebrand at the Festival of Marketing today, describing the public response to its logo as a “pleasant surprise”.
Speaking to Design Week editor Angus Montgomery, Schapiro explained the reasons for the company’s rebrand, the impact of the new identity on the company’s communications and his surprise that it became one of the most talked about design stories of this year.
The lettings website launched its new look designed by London team DesignStudio in July (read our blog post on it here), which saw its original blue and white word marque replaced with the ‘belo’, a universal symbol of belonging inspired by the idea of people, pleaces, love and community.
On social media, however, the logo was immediately likened to various body parts – from buttocks to male and female genitals. Within hours, the internet was awash with tumblr sites and memes pointing this out; the subject had trended on Twitter and was featured on mainstream news outlets from CNN to the Guardian and BBC.
Speaking to Montgomery, Schapiro described the social media response as incredible. “We expected it to be relevant and interesting to creatives and marketers,” he said.
Asked why the rebrand caused such a fuss, aside from the obvious reasons, Schapiro said: “Most brands are very protective about what you can do with [their assets], so to challenge that notion and create something that’s intended to be used and individualised across our community [Airbnb set up a site allowing people to create, download and share their own versions of the belo]… it was very disruptive.”
While some media were quick to label the incident as a “disaster”, Schapiro says the company was largely unphased by the public’s response.
“Surprisingly, it wasn’t difficult to deal with,” said Schapiro. “[After working on it] for so many months, you’d expect it to be disheartening, but we all felt 100 percent confident that this was the right direction for the brand in the long term. We had to contextualise that [as an] immediate response,” he added.
He also said the brand was used to controversy. “That’s the nature of Airbnb – the concept of staying in someone’s home, opening up yours is such a novel and new idea … controversy isn’t new to us,” he explained.
Rather than ignoring the criticism online, Airbnb actively engaged with conversations surrounding the marque, with a social media team creating their own content in response and acknowledging the joke on Twitter.
“The [initial] conversation went on for about two or three days, and we continued with that strategy of responding to the situation,” said Schapiro.
Four months on, he didn’t mention whether the rebrand has had a significant impact on visits to the site, or transactions made on it, but Schapiro did say it has enabled the company’s creative teams to create more engaging content and better share stories about Airbnb members.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall last week, for example, it released an animated film and website telling the story of two former border guards on opposing sides of the wall who were re-united after a chance meeting through Airbnb in 2012:
“It started out as a design project, but I have seen it elevate the entire company,” he added. “Telling stories, for us, has always been a challenge … this shift lets us share the message of our community globally.”
The Festival of Marketing is a two-day conference organised by Centaur media brands, including Design Week, Econsultancy, Marketing Week, Celebrity Intelligence and CR. For details, see festivalofmarketing.com


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$41 to be precise.
(CNS News) — On the same day the White House asked Americans to explain “What does $40 mean to you?” President Obama spent $41 on his dog Bo during a shopping trip in Northern Virginia.
According to the White House pool report, the president left the White House at 12:45 with Bo in tow: They stopped at a Pet Smart: “Okay, Bo, don’t get too personal here,” POTUS admonished, holding tightly to Bo’s leash. He pulled out a $50 bill to pay for two items, one a large dog bone. Total was slightly more than $41.”
President Obama then stopped at Best Buy, where he spent $194.48 on gifts for his daughters. “Let’s see if my credit card still works,” he joked. It worked.


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May 3, 2022
Timothy Pricket Morgan
If an IT vendor never gives a specific date for a product launch – and there are many who don’t – then they can never be officially accused of shipping something late when the delivery date slip. But in the age of coronavirus, all sorts of things are shipping later than expected and one of them is Power Systems’ entry-level servers based on the Power10 processor. The other is the mid-range Power Systems machine based on the Power10.
During a pre-briefing with Steve Sibley, Vice President and Global Offering Leader for Power Systems, to review the new IBM i 7.5 and Merlin Application Modernization Tool being announced today, we pointed out that we were a little surprised there weren’t any new servers as part of Power Systems’ announcements.
The high-end Power E1080 “Denali” server using the Power10 chip was launched last September and shipped gradually with increasingly larger systems in late 2021 and fully ramped up in early 2022 , as expected. And as far as we know, entry and mid-range servers were expected at an event around the POWERUp 2022 event in New Orleans later this month, and maybe even a a little earlier in fact, although IBM never officially identified it. He did, however, say this to resellers and partners following the launch of the Power E1080 last year:
I fully realize that the above statement is a planning document, not a promise. But if you look at this table and then read the sentence in the notes that says the Power E1080 will be “in the market for more than 6 months before” the mid-range and entry-level machines come out, the low-end from this announcement specter for the rest Power10 machines start in March 2022 and go out to infinity.
Prior to our call with IBM, we had spoken to a group of people who are hooked on Big Blue’s plans, and what we heard was that Big Blue would now be launching the entry-level and mid-range Power10 machines in June for a shipment at the end of July – and more precisely on July 27, which is a very precise day indeed.
Sibley didn’t confirm any details, but he made the comment when we asked him about the whole thing.
“As usual, your source network is pretty one shut down,” Sibley said the four hundred with a laugh. “You should think that an announcement in June might be slightly earlier if we don’t ship by the end of July. Also, we don’t usually announce hardware beyond quarter boundaries – sometimes, but not usually. »
Since the Power10 chip, which we dubbed “Cirrus” because Big Blue didn’t give it a proper name, has an all-new core design and is etched by an all-new foundry partner, Samsung, we pressed Sibley to find out if there was a problem with the Power10 chip or get them in bulk from Samsung.
“We don’t have processor supply issues,” Sibley said emphatically, and there are no design issues either. Sibley did not go into specifics, but hinted that it was other system components. “It’s amazing anything that affects your supply chain these days, whether it’s an Ethernet card or a tiny component. It’s not the fancy chips that cause the delays.
Not in this case, anyway. IBM has relatively low volume requirements for Power10 and Samsung has huge foundries, even though Power10 is its first server chip burn. (It could hardly be more chaotic than what GlobalFoundries was with Power8 and Power9, based on the lawsuit IBM filed against GlobalFoundries last year. A lawsuit is one side of a story, of course… So keep that in mind.)
We know that network interface cards and power regulators have taken their toll on system provisioning, and that high-end processors and GPUs that are in high demand, especially among hyperscalers and cloud builders, have a limited supply as production at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co, which makes most of the world’s high-end chips these days, is tight and current customer demand exceeds expected supply. And that situation probably won’t change until next year – or later.
Given all of this, we think IBM wants to introduce the entry-level and mid-range Power10 servers right after the American 4th of July.and holidays – July 11 is a logical day to do this – and ship them before the end of the month on July 29. But that’s just a guess, of course.
We’ll keep you posted as we learn more.
Power Systems and System z mainframe cycles begin again
The lowdown on IBM’s power system sales
IBM says nothing about power systems in Q4
The pivotal year ahead for Big Blue and IBM i stores
Proper accounting of the electricity company
The shape of IBM to come
The big iron customers the Power E1080 is aimed at
IBM launches Power10 in Big, Bad Iron First
Balancing supply and demand for the impending Big Power10 iron
Waiting for the deployment of Power10 and the new sales cycle
Time to design – and deliver – the app/360 system
Historical, functional and relevant
IBM vs. GlobalFoundries: A Lawsuit Instead of Planned Power Chips
Make Texas in two steps from Power9 to Power10
Open the road for better driving
IBM unveils Power10 deployment plan and launches Power11
Possible IBM designs for Power10 systems
Explore the Power10 chip architecture
Power to the tenth power
The collapse of power systems is not as bad as it seems
The way is really opening up for AC-powered processors, but is it enough?
powers of ten
IBM previews the future at POWERUp 2019
What the Open Sourcing Power ISA Means for IBM i Stores
IBM’s plan to burn Power10 and later chips
The way forward for power is paved with bandwidth
IBM puts Future Power Chip stakes in the ground
What will IBM i do with a Power10 processor?


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A potential £8bn takeover bid for Subway is being considered by the founders and joint owners of EG Group Mohsin and Zuber Issa, according to newspaper reports.
EG Group already has Subway oulets in some of its more than 6,300 petrol stations around the world, including Euro Garages in the UK, and they are said to believe the sandwich chain would be a good fit with the rest of the businesses they own
The Sun reported that it was told by a source: “EG Group have felt for a while that Subway treated them the same way as other franchise partners and their massive growth hadn’t been appreciated. So what better way to show who’s boss than owning them.”
In addition to their global forecourt business, the Issa brothers also own Asda after a £6.8bn deal together with their partner TDR Capital in 2021, and EG Group owns other businesses such as Leon and Cooplands.
EG Group is also a major partner of another US franchise business after the purchase of 145 KFC outlets in the UK and Ireland in in 2020, which made it KFC’s largest franchisee in Europe.


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The dates announced at the end of the previous editions have now been confirmed for the next Xylexpo, the biennial international exhibition of woodworking technology and furniture industry supplies, celebrating its 26th edition. The event will take place in the Fieramilano-Rho fairgrounds, from Tuesday 8 to Saturday 12 May 2018. The location remains the same, reaffirming the collaboration between the city of Milan and the exhibition, which dates back to the origins of the trade fair in 1968, as much as fifty years ago! The 50th anniversary is a major milestone that will be properly celebrated.
A significant result that reaffirms Xylexpo’s position among the most important exhibitions in the wood technology and wood-based materials industry. The 25th edition from 24 to 28 May closed with largely positive figures: 17,415 visitors attended the event, with a 14.2 percent increase compared to two years ago. Excellent results for international visitors with 5,070 operators, i.e. 29.1 percent of total attendance, up by 9.3 percent from 2014.
Xylexpo 2016 press kit collects the press opening of the event, the full list of press conferences and upcoming events, as well as a comprehensive set of statistical related to the Italian woodworking machinery industry.
Innovation is the fil-rouge of Xylexpo2016, the biennial exhibition of wood and furniture technology and supplies, currently underway at FieraMilano-Rho until Saturday 28 May, an edition that promises to be successful according to initial attendance figures.


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There's lots going on today.
On the home front, my cold is almost gone and the temperatures outside will be above freezing this afternoon. As I watch the weather reports across the country things look bad in most areas especially in regions where people are being hit by El Nino.
Over in Las Vegas the Consumer Electronics Show begins with more amazing new tech. That's one show I wish I could get into. Tech columnists warn against buying the 4K TV, named for its high-definition resolution display. The technology is taking center stage today.
Las Vegas also reminds us of gambling as the next Powerball drawing is tonight. My ticket is sitting on my desk near me so I remember to check it tomorrow though I don't expect to win anything. Remember to consider the place you buy your ticket and visualize whether or not that store will sell the winning ticket before you buy it there.
Las Vegas also takes us to entertainment tonight featuring the 42nd People's Choice Awards Website.
Here's the really important news ...We are back to blowing things up (see Monday's blog below) as North Korea, one of the world's most isolated and dangerous states, declared that it detonated its first underground hydrogen bomb today. It may be weeks or longer before other nations can determine what kind of test was conducted. China, Russia, the European Union and others condemned the action as a breach of international law. The U.N. Security Council tentatively scheduled an emergency meeting today. Why didn't anyone have intel on it? Comparing ... Hydrogen or Thermonuclear weapon with an Atomic Bomb - Nuclear Weapon. Global stock markets, partly spooked by North Korea, are down. Wall Street futures indicate a decline of more than 1 percent at the start of trading.
Also in the city ... Mayor Bill de Blasio is set to announce today a $15-an-hour minimum wage for the city's public work force. City officials said it would be among the highest in the country. It matches a similar increase for state employees last year.
International CES, more commonly known as the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), is an internationally renowned electronics and technology trade show, attracting major companies and industry professionals worldwide. The annual show is held each January at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Not open to the public, the Consumer Electronics Association-sponsored show typically hosts previews of products and new product announcements.


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Carboxylic acids Current Affairs, GK & News
The World Health Organization (WHO) has partnered with the International Food and Beverage Alliance (IFBA) to achieve its target under REPLACE initiative of eliminating industrial trans-fat from industrially produced global food supply by 2023. Trans-fat is also called the worst form of fat in food. It is responsible for over 5,00,000 deaths from coronary heart ..
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched a new mass media campaign “Heart Attack Rewind” to eliminate industrially produced trans fat in the food supply by 2022 before WHO deadline. The campaign is the 30 second Public Service Announcement (PSA), which will warn citizens about the health hazards of consuming trans ..
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a comprehensive plan “REPLACE” to eliminate industrially-produced artificial trans fats from the global food supply by 2023. The elimination of trans fats is key to protecting the health and saving lives. The global health body estimates that every year, trans fat intake leads to over 5,00,000 deaths worldwide ..


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With new talc trials on the horizon, with two having been scheduled for September according to Law360, Courtroom Connect’s CVN brings a clip from this May’s talc trial out of the video vault.
“It was a closing argument that swayed jurors on the purported dangers of talc, and opened the door to a $55 million verdict in a trial that will likely influence years of coming litigation,” the CVN broadcast reported.
CVN focuses on the closing arguments of plaintiff’s attorney Allen Smith who had to convince jurors that a product they’d known and trusted their entire lives, Johnson’s Baby Powder, “can cause potentially catastrophic harm.” The plaintiff Gloria Ristesund claimed that her 40 years of using the company’s talc-based products caused the ovarian cancer that she was diagnosed with in 2011. The station calls this a “high hurdle” the defense attorney tried to use to her advantage.
“We’re here because Ms. Ristesund claims that baby powder, a product that’s been on the market and used for 125 years by our mothers, our grandmothers, and all our babies, caused [her] ovarian cancer,” J&J’s attorney said in openings according to CVN. “Nobody knows what causes ovarian cancer.”
However, jurors disagreed that it was that simple, and were convinced by the science presented by the plaintiff’s attorneys, according to The Associated Press. They decided that Johnson and Johnson’s product contributed to Ristesund’s cancer and that the company had enough information to have warned her of the risk.
CVN reported, “In a powerful closing argument, he (Smith) accused J&J of manufacturing ‘doubt’ about talc’s link to cancer and he grouped J&J with manufacturers of common products now infamous for the diseases they cause. ‘It is the same game plan (companies) used in asbestos. It is the same game plan (companies) use in tobacco. It is the same game plan they’re trying to sell here,’ Smith said.”
The jury awarded a $55 million verdict in favor of the plaintiff.
“I will never use talc again. It’s definitely concerning to me,” Teri Brickey, jury forewoman, told The Associated Press.
Also featured in CVN’s video clip and article were Smith’s comments to jurors about the significance of this case. “This is a very, very important matter,” Smith said. “…This may be a big part of your lives that you’ll talk about with your family members… That you’ll talk to your children, your grandchildren about…This is an opportunity to address a known risk factor that affects thousands of women,” CVN broadcasts.
Smith said all women, “deserve to be able to make informed decisions about their health and safety,” CVN reported.
That has in fact been a result of these first two talc trials of 2016. Because of the attention-getting verdicts of $72 million and $55 million against such a well-known and beloved product, countless women who had never heard of the decades of research being done linking talc to ovarian cancer for the first time began to read news pieces from a vast variety of sources bringing the topic to light. Consumers who weren’t warned by Johnson and Johnson about the epidemiological studies linking talc and cancer, studies presented to jurors during both trials, were finally given information that allowed them to make informed choices.


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MakerBot, one of the hobbyist 3D printer manufacturers, has been acquired by Stratasys, a major global player in the professional 3D printing market. Stratasys makes 3-D printers capable of printing objects as solid as plastic injection molded objects with incredible resolution.
MakerBot, meanwhile, produces lower cost options for those who want 3D printing at home. MakerBot isn't going away and will likely benefit from this merger. According to the company's blog post, "MakerBot's mission remains the same and will continue to operate as a separate subsidiary within Stratasys, once the transaction is complete."
We're excited to see what will come of this merger. Hopefully we will see cheaper, better 3D printers that are easier to use.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, Microsoft and Nokia were close to striking a deal that would see Microsoft acquiring Nokia's device business. According to sources familiar with the matter, talks were taking place as recently as this month, though they are unlikely to be revived after Microsoft walked away.
The two companies were reportedly close to an oral agreement over the acquisition before talks broke down. The deal would have likely made use of Microsoft's off-shore cash piles that amount to nearly $66 billion. This would have been great for Microsoft because it would have incurred a massive tax bill to bring the cash home.
It looks like NVIDIA is taking a different, and great new path with their business - where they'll shift from simply making their own GPU's and SoC's to licensing their technology to other manufacturers.
NVIDIA will begin by offering their Kepler GPU architecture, which the company state is the world's most advanced and efficient GPU, and the reference design for their next-generation Tegra mobile processors. Licensees of NVIDIA's technology will receive designs, collateral and support to integrate Kepler into their devices. NVIDIA will also license their vast visual computing portfolio, which will open up to licensees the intellectual property necessary to make their own GPU's.
The company have had trouble getting into the mainstream with their Tegra processors, as good as they are, it's still not mainstream. This new path could lead to a much better future for NVIDIA, as OEM's will most likely just dive onto this plan versus spending buckets of money on their own internal R&D.
Facebook's CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has met with Samsung's head of handsets to talk about possible partnerships to boost advertising sales from mobile devices. This comes shortly after the recently launched HTC First was deemed a failure by most. AT&T quickly reduced the purchase price to just $0.99 with a new contract.
It's not clear if Facebook would like to create another device like the HTC First with Samsung, or if a partnership would include something different. Facebook's CEO has pledged to invest in products to reward investors. Facebook's stock price is down 37 percent since it launched in May 2012.
Facebook declined to comment on the visit.
Adobe has performed better than expectations by posting second-quarter revenues of $1.011 billion and earnings-per-share of $0.36. Analysts had predicted that Adobe would post earnings-per-share of just $0.34 on $1 billion in revenue. While not massively higher than expectations, it is good news for Adobe that they performed better than expectations.
Creative Cloud seems to be the highlight in the earnings report. Adobe reported that they had 700,000 paid Creative Cloud members, up from the 479,000 reported during the first-quarter earning's report.
It's important for Adobe to continue adding Creative Cloud subscribers as Adobe has transitioned the Creative suite to a cloud-only subscription model.
Google seeks to disclose FISA requests separately, invokes first amendment rights as part of argument
Google is one of the first companies to release transparency reports that disclose the number of requests for personal data they receive from various governments. Unfortunately for Google, FISA and NSL requests often come with gag orders to prevent them from disclosing the fact they even received a request.
We have long pushed for transparency so users can better understand the extent to which governments request their data-and Google was the first company to release numbers for National Security Letters. However, greater transparency is needed, so today we have petitioned the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to allow us to publish aggregate numbers of national security requests, including FISA disclosures, separately. Lumping national security requests together with criminal requests-as some companies have been permitted to do-would be a backward step for our users.
In a world where we see startups and dev houses being snatched up left and right, it is no surprise that someone is looking to purchase the automated video maker app Qwiki. With Vine growing every day in popularity and Instagram looking to add video to its service later this week, Yahoo is looking to get in on the video app craze that is so popular at the moment.
According to All Things D, sources close to the company are disclosing that Yahoo is looking to purchase Qwiki for somewhere close to $50 million. Things could still go south in the deal, but word on the street is that both companies are in the advanced stages of the acquisition, and transfer of ownership looks to be imminent.
For those not familiar, Qwiki is an app that lets iPhone users quickly combine photos and videos into a single stylized video for sharing with friends on the web. This is yet another purchase in a long line of acquisitions since CEO Marissa Mayer took the head seat at the company.
If there's one technology that has me positively tingling with excitement over, it's Oculus' Rift. The company announced yesterday that they have just closed a deal that will see them with a cash injection of $16 million.
The funding comes from Spark Capital and Matrix Partners with Santo Politi, Spark founder and general partner and Antonio Rodriguez, entrepreneur and general partner of Matrix, joining Oculus' board of directors. The injection of cash will help speed up the development of virtual reality hardware, software and services, which will hopefully see Oculus' Rift as a great, commercially available VR platform.
Considering Oculus raised $2.4 million from their Kickstarter campaign, which was close to 10 times the amount they originally needed, this $16 million should do some wonderful things for the company.
Yahoo have quite a number of government requests for data over the last six months, beating Apple, Microsoft and Facebook - a surprising statistic. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and Generan Counsel Ron Bell noted on Tumblr that Yahoo have received between 12,000 and 13,000 requests, "inclusive of criminal, Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), and other requests" between December 1, 2012 and May 31, 2013.
According to the Yahoo CEO and Bell, most of the requests relate to "fraud, homicides, kidnappings, and other criminal investigations." Yahoo aren't stating just how many FISA requests are in that figure due to their classified nature, but they "strongly urge(s) the federal government to reconsider its stance on this issue."
Music streaming and subscription service Spotify have just added something that should appeal to a huge fan base, the complete works of Pink Floyd. Spotify is the first service to have all of Pink Floyd's works, which is a great position to be in.
Google Play Music All Access have some of the band's works, but not the complete set. The 'unlocking' of the content came after Spotify asked their listeners to stream classis track "Wish You Were Here" to show their interest in Pink Floyd, where they racked up a huge one million listens just this weekend alone. All of Pink Floyd's music comes for free using the desktop Spotify app, or the web app if that's how you roll.
Premium customers can download every single track, and have it all ready to go on their smart devices, which is just another way of enjoying Spotify's goodness.


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Be a part of our 2014 Tyre fitment survey and stand a chance to a win a TomTom Runner GPS watch. Enter now!
To coincide with the launch of its Mirage hatchback, Mitsubishi is giving away two Mirages with insurance for a year!
America has received its biggest, baddest muscle car yet in the form of the hellish Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. Check out...
American muscle trucks, modified to suit right-hand drive, are available in South Africa though a Dodge Ram import and m...
The all-new Dodge Dart is said to hit the bull's eye for Chrysler cars for the future.
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In a recent Twitter rant, EA Sports senior software engineer Bob Summerwill offered his opinion that Nintendo’s floundering Wii U is crap. EA has since confirmed that they have no immediate plans to develop any new titles for the Wii U. While a senior software engineer of a major video game developer like EA shouldn’t be saying such inflammatory things in public, he does have a completely valid point.
Nintendo lost its focus a long time ago. Basically they adopted the same notion that so much of the general public believes; video games are for kids. While there certainly is a game market for kids, the average gamer is in their 30s and 40s, someone who grew up playing Super Mario World on the NES. Somehow Nintendo never got the memo that all the kids who made them rich in the 80s and 90s aren’t buying cutesy Mario games anymore.
It is a rather frustrating misconception that video games are for kids. Basically its an insult not only to the gamers, but to the creative and talented people who work hard to create the games. Maybe its just a tragic result of the word “game” being used, since the video “entertainment” we enjoy today goes so far beyond being simple “games”. The depth of plot and quality of special effects, storytelling, and innovation that go into games like Mass Effect, Elder Scrolls, Gears of War, and even first-person shooters like Modern Warfare, rival that of even the most expensive Hollywood blockbuster films. The sales figures alone make those who trivialize video games look like uninformed troglodytes. For Nintendo, once the preeminent video game giant, it is a misjudgment of epic and fatal proportions.
image source: [gametrailers]


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Bank of the Philippine Islands has introduced another first – BPI Express Credit is now the exclusive bank partner of AirAsia BIG in the Philippines. AirAsia BIG Loyalty Programme is the first and only loyalty programme of AirAsia.
BPI Express Credit cardholders can now convert their Real Thrill Rewards (RTR) points into AirAsia BIG points. For every three (3) RTR points, one (1) AirAsia BIG point will be given. These BIG points can be used by the cardholders to redeem AirAsia flights and services, among others.
During the launch of the partnership, Ginbee Go, SVP of BPI Payments and Unsecured Lending said in a BIG way: “We, in BPI, are deeply honored that AirAsia chose BPI as its first and exclusive bank partner for the rewards conversion program.”
She also added that, “With the partnership, BPI cardholders enjoy exclusive privilege of converting their Real Thrill Rewards points into BIG points. This means BPI cardholders have more options in using their rewards points.”
AirAsia BIG CEO Alice Goh, who co-launched the new partnership with BPI, added: “AirAsia BIG has over 70 regional partners, representing more than 1,500 brand in retail, finance and tourism. We recognize BPI’s leadership in innovation and see this strategic alliance as mutually beneficial to both companies.”
Alice also shared that AirAsia BIG’s strategic thrust is to expand in the ASEAN market, partnering with Petronas and CIMB Bank in Malaysia, Bangkok Bank and Central in Thailand, Bank Mandiri and Indosat in Indonesia, DBS and Starhub in Singapore, and now BPI as its first exclusive bank partner in the Philippines.
Making flights rewarding yet affordable is what BPI and AirAsia BIG offer to their customers. As Alice said, “BPI Express Credit cardholders can now go BIG with our partnership.”
You can avail this unique and exciting treat from BPI Express Credit by simply signing up as an AirAsia Big Loyalty Programme member via www.airasiabig.com and call BPI at 89100 or email firstname.lastname@example.org to convert RTR points into BIG points. A BIG Shot member enjoys preferential access to AirAsia’s biggest sales and promos.
In addition to this BIG news is that AirAsia will give 13% bonus BIG points to BPI cardholders who convert a minimum of 300 RTR points (100 AirAsia BIG points) from May 13 to July 13, 2014, as part of the launch offering. Convert more and fly more!


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Linden store worker threatened by alleged shoplifter
Carlos Villegas faces robbery, theft and weapons charges
LINDEN - An Elizabeth man is facing robbery and weapons charges after he allegedly tried to steal a duffel bag and baby formula from a local Target store.
Around 1:39 p.m. Monday, police responded to the Target store, 621 W. Edgar Road in the Aviation Plaza shopping center for a report of a shoplifter fleeing the store.
Police were told a man on a red bicycle fled the store after stealing a duffel bag and five containers of baby formula. When police arrived, they spotted a man, later identified as Carlos F. Villegas, 25, pedaling on South Wood Avenue. He was stopped and apprehended by police on the 700 block of South Wood Avenue.
A 23-year-old man working as a Target loss prevention officer said Villegas took a green duffel bag and placed five containers of baby formula in the bag before attempting to flee out the rear fire exit door. When the alarm sounded, he turned and headed toward the main exit, police said.
A second store loss prevention officer stopped Villegas, who allegedly produced a yellow box cutter and told the store loss preventnion officer to get out of the way. The Target officer backed off and Villegas left the store on his bicycle.
Police said Villegas was arrested and charged with robbery, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a weapon, theft and obstruction, a disorderly persons offense.
He was taken to the Union County Jail in Elizabeth, where he is being held on $100,000 bail.
If convicted of the first-degree robbery charge, Villegas could face a prison term of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $200,000.
Staff Writer Suzanne Russell: 732-565-7335; email@example.com


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We’re delighted to invite you to the upcoming Safety Summit and Automotive Safety Testing Expo in Shanghai, China, taking place in July and August this year.
ADDITIUM will take part in the 27th ESV (Enhance Safety Vehicle) Conference, one of the most well-known Congress in the automotive safety industry, which will be held at the Pacifico Yokohama International Exhibition Center in Japan on April 3-6th , 2023.
ADDITIUM is proud to announce our new international collaboration agreement with VTI to provide SBA, HRP and SLEDs.
ADDITIUM has got the recognition as “INNOVATIVE SME” company by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.
ADDITIUM has carried out 5 crash laboratories upgrades, to adapt them to the latest technology.


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Top trade officials from the same group of countries are due to meet for a mini-ministerial gathering in Paris May 4 on the fringes of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's annual meeting.
GENEVA--Canada will host a meeting of senior trade officials in Geneva April 18-19 as part of preparations for the next World Trade Organization 'mini-ministerial' gathering in early May, trade diplomats told BNA March 17.
TWN Info Service on WTO and Trade Issues (Mar05/4)
One of the highlights was a proposal by 8 developing countries that applications for patents relating to genetic resources and traditional knowledge should be accompanied by evidence of benefit sharing with the countries of origin
China hopes to hold talks with the United States and European Union over the surge in exports of textiles and apparel to those markets since the Jan. 1 lifting of quotas, a leading Chinese textile industry representative has said.
Brazil and India gave thumbs down March 16 to proposals from the United States and the European Union aimed at meeting developing country demands for flexibility in a formula for reducing tariffs on industrial and consumer goods.


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Both the Left and the AmTaliban are shunning the red bullseye (for different reasons). After Target defended its lame-brained, illogical practice of allowing pharmacists to deny women emergency contraception on ethical or religious grounds, pro-choice forces called for action (my post here).
Now, the American Family Association is calling for stepping up its boycott of Target during the holiday season because it has, again, refused to have Salvation Army representation in front of its stores.
The American Family Association (AFA) wants help from the shopping public in using the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday weekend to keep sending a message to Target Stores about the national chain’s faith-and-family-unfriendly practices.
AFA chairman Donald E. Wildmon says it is important that the organization’s current boycott against Target, which started in October, keep hurting the company’s bottom line — that is, the amount of money made –especially during the biggest shopping weekend of the year. He is hoping a strong message from the pro-family shopping public will help convince Target to change some of its policies.
The reasons for the boycott are valid ones, Wildmon asserts, and they include Target’s “refusal to let the Salvation Army put their kettles in front of the stores,” and the company’s policy “banning all use of ‘Merry Christmas’ in their internal store operations and in their advertising.” He says Target wants the profits from Christian families’ spending, but the retailer does not want their holiday message or the spirit of their charities — including faith-based service organizations like the Salvation Army.
Back on the left side of the political spectrum, Joseph Hughes of Hughes for America, received a weak response from Target about its public womb control policies that’s worth a read, and there’s a Boycott Target blog up with the latest news. John over at AmericaBlog summed up the stupidity of the retailer’s policy well.
So let’s ask Target if they also support the following Target employees:
– Check out clerks who verify how fat you are before selling you that package of potato chips?
– Pharmacists who don’t want to fill prescriptions for Jewish customers who killed Christ.
– Pharmacists who don’t want to help customers who worship a “Satanic counterfeit” (read: “The Pope,” in fundie-speak).
– Pharmacists who only dispense HIV medicine to “innocent victims” of AIDS.
– Pharmacists who want proof that women seeking emergency contraception were really raped, and that they didn’t “deserve it.”
– Pharmacists (or cashiers) who are Christian Scientists – can they refuse to sell any medicine, even aspirin, to anyone?
– Pharmacists who won’t sell birth control pills to unmarried women, condoms to unmarried men, or any birth control at all because God doesn’t want people spilling their seed.
– Can fundamentalist Christian employees refuse to interact with gay people in any way, shape or form since gays are sinners, abominations, biological errors, and very likely pedophiles?
Precisely. This decision by Target makes no sense, simply for consistency’s sake. I think people should encourage the red bullseye to extend its policy to all employees and allow religious objections to guide their business plan.
Seriously, where do you shop, given the choices out there? If only Costco (a Buy Blue company) was a cross-competitor – it’s a bulk goods store. Wal-Mart, a direct competitor, is already on everyone’s sh*t list, Kmart is Red as well. As a consumer in the Bush economy, it really is hard to both be an activist and a family on a budget. No one really talks about that and its effect on this kind of activism. Let’s take a look at the Buy Blue ratings…
Numbers for Target (L) and Kmart.
Costco and Wal-Mart.
What are good alternatives? What actions will achieve the most success at inflicting pain and bad PR on these companies?